Thread: Bennett Has Happy Homecoming

August 28, 2011Bennett has a happy homecoming


By: Larry Mayer | Last Updated: 8/28/2011 2:59 AM
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Other than the result of the game, Bears receiver Earl Bennett enjoyed his return to Nashville.

The former Vanderbilt star, who left the school as the SEC’s all-time leading receiver, caught a game-high six passes for 89 yards in Saturday night’s 14-13 preseason loss to the Tennessee Titans.


Earl Bennett catches a 20-yard pass on third-and-18 despite getting hit by Titans safety Anthony Smith Saturday night.

“I’ve known Earl for a long time,” said Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, who teamed with Bennett in college. “Earl hasn’t changed one iota since his freshman year at Vandy and probably never will.
“I just feel comfortable with him out there. He does what he’s supposed to do. In a couple words, he’s just a football player. We need more of those in the locker room.”

Bennett caught an 18-yard pass from Cutler on third-and-eight to sustain the Bears’ only touchdown drive and later hauled in a 20-yard completion from Caleb Hanie on third-and-18.

On target: Without a catch in the Bears’ first two preseason games, veteran receiver Roy Williams snared a 17-yard pass from Cutler on the first play from scrimmage Saturday night. But on the next snap, Cutler’s throw squirted through Williams’ hands and was intercepted by safety Michael Griffin.

“[Cutler] is just putting the ball where it needs to be,” Williams said. “First play of the game, it was on the money. The second one, that’s my fault. I’ve still got to catch that one. I felt like it should have been a flag somewhere there. But this is the NFL. I got past that one and you just go to the next play.”
With a 16-yard catch late in the first half, Williams finished the game with two receptions for 33 yards.

Butter fingers: Williams wasn’t the only Bears player who failed to haul in a catchable pass Saturday night. Receiver Devin Hester had two drops, and rookie receiver Dane Sanzenbacher and fullback Will Ta’ufo’ou had one apiece. “There were some big dropped passes that we had that really could have given us a little bit more life offensively,” said coach Lovie Smith.

Health update: Running back Marion Barber (calf) and tight end Desmond Clark (knee) left Saturday night’s game with injuries. Barber exited in the first half after he had one rush for two yards and one reception for eight yards. Clark was carted to the locker room early in the fourth quarter after he was torpedoed by safety Anthony Smith, who broke up a pass with a vicious but legal hit.

“I don’t know how serious [the injuries] are,” Smith told reporters after the game. “We’ll let you know that later. Hopefully not long for both of them because both of them have done a good job for us.”

Roster notes: Bears players who did not suit up were linebacker Lance Briggs (knee), defensive tackle Anthony Adams (calf), tight end Kellen Davis (back), receiver Sam Hurd (ankle), defensive end Corey Wootton (knee) and running back Harvey Unga, who is excused from the team due to a personal issue.

Before Saturday night’s game, the Bears waived/injured Mike Holmes, an undrafted rookie cornerback who has accounted for the defense’s only takeaway in three preseason contests with an interception in the opener against the Buffalo Bills.